Verdict: Saeima elections 2022 winners and losers

Jaunā VIENOTĪBA (New Unity)

A very satisfactory night for the party of Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš. It should be remembered that after the 13th Saeima elections, this was the smallest party in Saeima with just 8 seats and less than 7% of the popular vote. Now it is set to triple its number of seats and is clearly the main political force with around 19% of the vote. Kariņš has not only become the first PM to finish a full 4-year term, he is now on course for another.
Verdict: Winner

Latvijas Krievu savienība (Latvian Russian Union)

There was a question mark about how much support the most overtly pro-Moscow party would get from Latvian Russians and even whispers that they might win seats in Saeima. The fact that the Latvian Russian Union did not come close to doing so shows that most ethnic Russians in Latvia do not wish to be associated with Putin and his warmongering.
Verdict: Loser

Zaļo un Zemnieku savienība (Greens and Farmers Union)

If we learned one thing from election night it is that having as your prime ministerial candidate someone who has been sent to prison for 5 years for corruption and is considered a national security threat and sanctioned by the United States, is insufficient to make voters think he might be unsuitable. Election night showed Aivars Lembergs retains the affection of a considerable swathe of the population. A second-placed finish is a remarkable achievement, though it will do little to burnish Latvia's international reputation.
Verdict: Winner 

TAUTAS KALPI LATVIJAI (Servants of the People for Latvia)

Minor party made less impact than an October snowball with just 1% support.
Verdict: Loser

SUVERĒNĀ VARA (Sovereign Power)

Minor party made little impact with 3% support. Time to take up a new hobby.
Verdict: Loser

Kristīgi Progresīvā Partija (Christian Progressive Party)

'Christian progressives' failed to find converts. Finishing in last place with just 0.1% of the vote, verily they were not fishers of men.
Verdict: Loser

Saskaņa (Harmony)

How are the mighty fallen! After topping the poll in the previous three elections, Harmony crashed and burned this time around. Internal splits, the loss of some of its higher-profile figures and some dithering on major policy points mean this could well be the end of the road. In 2018, Saskaņa got 19% of the vote. This time, a paltry 4%.
Verdict: Loser

Stabilitātei! (For Stability!)

It might be argued that the most spectacular success of the night belongs to For Stability! Little-fancied before polling day, this populist force founded as a breakaway from Harmony seems to have stolen a large number of that party's votes and is already arguing that it is the new voice of Latvia's Russian speakers. With more than 6% of the vote it could have around 10 seats in Saeima, making it a considerable force in opposition, particularly if it hooks up with other populists.
Verdict: Winner

Tautas varas spēks (Strength of people power)

Minor party failed to flex its muscles with around 1% of the vote.
Verdict: Loser

Vienoti Latvijai (United for Latvia)

Minor party with one-word manifesto gets a one word summary from us.
Verdict: Loser

Nacionālā apvienība "Visu Latvijai!"-"Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK" (National Alliance) 

A strange night for the main Latvian nationalist party. Around 10% of the vote and 13 seats in Saeima is pretty much the same result they achieved at the last elections in 2018. It might have been expected that they would do a lot better this time around with Russia on the rampage and Soviet monuments being demolished, but instead they appear to have hit their glass ceiling. They are in fourth spot instead of fifth, but that's the only real improvement. Possibly an unsavory outburst by one of their veteran MPs in the days before the vote cost them a couple of seats.
Verdict: Neither winner nor loser

LATVIJA PIRMAJĀ VIETĀ (Latvia in First Place)

Look who's back. Ainars Šlesers, often described as one of Latvia's oligarchs, will return to Saeima with his latest political force, but most likely will only be sitting in the opposition benches and making occasional visits to the speaking rostrum to thunder about Covid, family values and how Rimi supermarkets are only in Latvia because of him. But he has shown that adopting Trumpian-type populism can still get you elected in Latvia.   
Verdict: Winner

Konservatīvie (Conservatives)

A disastrous night for the Conservatives just four years after they burst onto the scene with a spectacular showing in the 2018 elections. Back then they had 13% of the vote. This time around they managed a feeble 3%. A lack of charismatic candidates may have contributed, but it looks like in reality they were the recipients of protest votes at the last election and this time around their anti-corruption message failed to resonate. It would not be a surprise if they are now gobbled up by Jaunā Vienotība who most likely took a lot of their voters.
Verdict: Loser

KATRAM UN KATRAI (For Each and Every)

Latvia's leading self-publicist and narcissist, Aldis Gobzems, was nursing a badly bruised ego Sunday morning after receiving a resounding raspberry from the public. Within hours he announced he was winding up his party. Whether members will get their subscriptions back is doubtful. 
Verdict: Loser

PROGRESĪVIE (Proressives)

The Progressives have entered Saeima for the first time, which certainly goes down as a win, though there may be a hint of disappointent that they didn't do quite as well as late polls suggested they might. It will be very interesting to see how closely they cooperate with the ideologically close Attistībai/Par! and whether they can cooperate with the ideologically distant National Alliance in a coalition.
Verdict: Winner

Attīstībai/Par! (For Development/For!)

This liberal pairing fell back considerably compared to its previous showing and, along with the Conservatives, shows what four years of bruising work in government and persistent rumours about financial backers can do to your idealism and voter appeal. At time of writing they are just over the 5% threshold to win seats in Saeima. If they dip below it, their future becomes much less assured.
Verdict: Loser

Apvienība Latvijai (Union for Latvia)

Minor party failed to express any coherent identity with just 0.3% of the vote. At this level you wonder if even the parents of candidates bothered to support them.
Verdict: Loser

APVIENOTAIS SARAKSTS (United List)

The United List spent big on electioneering and it paid off. A mixture of very familiar old faces from the non-Lembergite wing of ZZS and the Regional Alliance managed to persuade the public they constituted a fresh new political force and they find themselves in third place with about 10% of the vote and more than a dozen members of parliament. The fact that the regions recorded better turnout than Rīga may also have helped. That makes them the likely kingmakers of a new government which means their influence could actually be bigger than the figures would suggest.
Verdict: Winner 

Republika (Republic)

Minor party achieved little more than an extra line on the CV saying "former candidate in elections".
Verdict: Loser